Axle gauge



Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED ySI`A'1`Q131S 1,670,889 PATENT OFFICE.

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Appliatiqn felled May 23, 192]5. Serial No. 32,293.

My invention relates to improvements in axlegauges particularly adaptedfor use to true gauge the axles o automobiles and is designed of asimple, inexpensive constl'uton, yet having an etlec-tive structurewhich vvill'gauge the axle so that it can be trued both to align thespindles of `the Wheels so that the Wheels are set properly from thespindles and to align the ax e so that it is 1f nue threng'hent ite1ensih- The Simplicity ei my invention ie quite apparent and itl isnecessary that it should be 'sini ,1e te melee it eneieie efieetiyelyThe invention includesmeans for engaging the spindles which carry theWheel connection that fthe Spindle bolts which carry this eohnectionpivotally, is aligned properly the wheels een be set .Se niet they nintine end both set in the same position.' This is uite im ortant inautomobile Wheels, especial y in the' frentsteerine' wheels ef the ente-,invention ineludes a gauge end or linger ivhieli e Considerable lengthSe as 'to indicate at a glance, even the slightest degree ofincorrectness of the spindle holt of the axle and this is important asthese axles musthe carefully set, either by a blacksmith or anautomobil-e expert who is fai'niliar with this setting. With my fingeraange, this is' .quite easily dene beeenee .et the' lready indieaiienbythe indiennne finger on the gauge, just the exact readin`nr ee ie thesetting and neeiiien et the Spindf whieh hCarriere the wheel'cenneeiienf It is else ,a .fe-etnie. nf invention te include menne tei'edinfeteley Setting the sense for different length enlee end therebyPermitting it te be adjusted readily end quickly' .te the y ei-.ze ofthe wie When the gauge `is set to the desired length it is ready to trueup the axle engaging with the spindles at each end ot the same todetermine Whether or not they are line and to ,determine just theposition the' spindles so as to support the'wheel at the desired angle-`These `fe:,1tL ues together with other peculiar ier-ine .enel naitienlai-eenstrnet-ien f my invent-ion will be more yfully set forth in theielleiyin'g speeicatien ,end'eleiine 'In the dre-wines ferniing partefmy speciatin: v. v i Fig-nie 1 ie e pereneetiye View .ef myWhiehpilvots into the fork 'of the axle so would appear inr use on anaxle testing and gauging the saline. f l

Figure 3 is a bottom view of my gauge.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a port-ion of my gauge. y

Figure 5 is'a section on the line 5--5 of the Figure 2, inthel'direction of the arrows, enlarged to illustrate the detail.

In the drawings my gauge A is designed to provide an axle gauge forautomobile axles which can be operated readily by almost anyone eventhough they are inexperienced inthe testing of axles and gauging thesame to set them in properalignment. This provides axle gauge A of avery desirable construction, 'as it is apparent that the front axles ofautomobiles often get out of true through an accident,r or under strainof use, and thus the Wheels donot run true and the automobile driverhas' diiliculty in steering his car.y My gauge provides meansforsett-ing the axle and trueing the same by testing it and setting itaccording to the gauge, and thus roadil'yaligning vthe same to beuniform and to support thewheels inla uniform position on either side ofthe ax e. v l

The body portion 10 of my .axle gauge A is formed of tubing o r othersuitable mate-y rial `which is trued throughout its length so as to beaccurate for use'. The body portion 1 0 is provided with a slidable endgauge member' B. Y The gauge member B is held slidable across thebodyl() and is adapted tovbe rigidly clamped'lthereon' by v`the setscrew` 11 wyhich clamps thef-reve end 12 of the gauge B tlg the body1o.y

The' gaugev member B is formed with gauge lingers 13 which are spacedapart by the bifurcated lor forked portion ofthe portion B in a mannerso that the ends 13' are trued and set in alignmentv so that they formtheV engaging ends'v adapted to engage vthe spindlell which extendsthrough the bifurcated'end l5 of the axle 16fin a manner so that ,the"ends 13 will rest against the upper lower ends of the spindle '14 whenthe saine is raised slightly in thebifurcated end 15 of the axlel'. Thispermits the gauge endsI 13 to rest againstthefspindle bolt 14todetermine thetrue position of the bolt 14 so that the'axle 16 `can betruedso that the bolt 14 will extend true -in relation to the axle lonboth ends of the same. When the bolt 14"is` true'the ends 13 rest evenlyagainst the bolt 14. This gauge member B, of course, operates inconjunction with the gauge member Cywhich is positioned at the other endof the gauge A and which is adapted to engage with the bolt 14 on theother end of the axle 16 and Which will be hereinafter described. f j

The spindle bolt gauge B is held against rotation on the tubular Vbodyby means of the key way 17 cut longitudinally in the surface of themember. 10. The key portion 18 formed on the .spindle gauge member Bengages in the slot or key way 17 of the body 1() of the gauge A. Thisolds the gauge member B against rotation and keeps'it in properalignment in relation to the gauge at the member C so that the spindlebolt 14 can be aligned in vertical relation to each other.

The gauge member C on the other end ofthe gauge proper A is formed witha bifurcated portion having ends 2O which are formed withy centeringnotches 21 which are adapted to engage over the bolt 14 in the ends ofthe axle 16, opposite to the spindle bolt 14vengaged by the member B.These centering notches 21 engage over the bolt 14 in a manner so as tohold the portion or end 19 of the gauge A aligned with the bolt. The end19 is rigidlysecured at 22 to the portion 23 centrally between the endsof the member 19 and extending oppositely to the ends 20.

The portion 23 is pivotally connected by the bolt 24 to the forked end25 on the end of the body of the gauge A. This permits .the portion 23of the gauge to pivot on the 'bolt 24 and thus permits the end` 2O topivot about the end 25 ofthe gauge A and in this manner engage the bolt14 to indicate the position of the bolt and thus indicate the positionof the forked end 15 of the axle 16 when the gauge A is used thereon asindicated in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The portion 28 carries a gauge finger 26 which is of considerable lengthi and the pointed end of which exten-ds under the guard 27 to vindicateon the member 28 the exact position of the bolt 14 as it extends in theforked end 15 of the axle 16. Thu-s the indicating point 3() on the endof the :linger 26 indicates on the gauge 29 the exact degree `or angleof position of the bolt 1 4. This gauge 29 can have a zero point at thecenter and the readings extending from either side thereof as indicatedin Figure 1 of ithe drawings. The guar-d portion 27 protects theindicating end point 30 of the linger 26, so that it cannot be easilystruck or knocked to bend it ont of alignment after it isonceset'inposition for operation. This permits the operator of my gaugeA to use the same very readily without any material danger of itbecoming out of true `after it has once been set up for use, andproperly gauged.

The pivotal connection of the end 23 which carries the member 19 withthe centering notches 21 permits the gauge A to be operated as indicatedvin Figure 2. The notches 21 engaging over the boli-J 14 and thus een`Itering the portion 19 over the` ends of the bolt 14, thereby indicatingby the linger 26 the exact position of the spindle bolt 14. By turningthe gauge A around .so that it can engage `.the bolt 14 on either end,rst on one endand then on the other, the reading' of both ends of theaxle 16 is yeasily obtained on the gauge 29.

The depth of the notches 21 correspondsy ing wheels of the axle inproper adjustment,

is indicated by the finger 26, when the notches 21 are engagedV overeither ofthe v spindle bolts 14 at the ends of the axle. IIn thismanner, my axle gaugeA is readily adaptable to indicate the properalignment and setting of the axle and the spindle bolts respectively, sothat the axle can be trued very easily and in a manner so that it will il be absolutely true when aligned with my gauge A, and setthereby. Theadjustable end gauge portion'B permits the gauge A to be lengthened orshortened to the desired v length of the axle to be trued by my gauge.This is important and provides a simple, effective means of operatingand adjusting the gauge. j n l In accordance with the patent statutes Ihave described the principles of operation of my gauge, and whilel haveindicated inthe `drawings a particular formation of. the axle gauge, Ildesire to Vhave itunderstoo'd that this is only illustrative and thattheinvention can be carried out by-other means and applied to uses otherthan those above set forth, within the scope ofthe following claims. y

I claim:

1. An axle gauge including a tubular member, there being a key wayformed longitudinally in said member, a clamp' gauge member adapted toslide on said tubular member and having a portion receivable in said keyway, means foiI clamping said gauge member rigidly on said tubularmember,

and a pivoted member on the other end of said tubular member adapted toengage lover the spindle bolt set in the bifurcated end of an axle,whereby when both ends of saidaxle gauge are engaging against spindlebolts the alinement of said bolts and the trueness of said axle can bedetermined.

, 2. An automobile axle gauge including a tubular member, a forked endsupported on one end of said member, a gauge member pivotally Secured tosaid forked end, spindle engaging ends extending from said gauge member,Said spindle engaging 'ends having notches formed therein, a gaugeindicating linger carried by said pivoted gauge member and adapted toextend longitudinally along toward the center of said tubular member, aguard adapted to extend over said finger to protect the same, a, pointedindicating end on said finger, a gauge positioned beneath said pointedend to indicate degrees thereon, and an adjustable end means ontherother end of said tubular member adapted to support said lastmentioned gauge so as to indicate the position of the spindle bolt inthe 20 bifurcated end thereof.

JOSEPH L. HARTELL.

